ABU DHABI // With a little over two months to go before the first local screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, film industry officials in the emirate are sizing up the potential economic benefits for Abu Dhabi after cameras rolled on the seventh film of the franchise in the UAE.
Speaking during an industry panel in Cannes, France, this week, Paul Baker, twofour54’s executive director of film and TV services, told an audience filming of the latest instalment in the series generated US$60 million (Dh220m) worth of publicity for Abu Dhabi.
The film is expected to premier on December 17 in the capital.
“There is a big tourism element for Abu Dhabi in film production. So far, from Star Wars alone, Abu Dhabi has achieved a value of $60m in press mentions with three months ahead of the premiere,” he said.
Baker was speaking at Mipcom – an entertainment industry trade show – along with otherAbu Dhabi-based film and television professionals to promote the city and the emirate as creativity hub.
“Ultimately, if we can start transferring those skills and increasing the quality of Arabic content, it will travel not just in the region but outside the region as well,” he said. “There is no reason why the quality of content that is coming out of the region and the great stories told cannot travel the world.”
Panel member and producer Nathalie Habib, of Dubai’s Blink Studios, the group behind the recently launched Iftah Ya SimSim – the Arabic version of Sesame Street – said support from twofour54 has helped bring the popular children’s show to the Middle East and promote local production.
“We have just finished producing the studio segments of the return of Sesame Street to the region,” she said. “It was a fantastic experience as everyone is aware of the Sesame Street brand and what it has to offer to children across the world.”
Filming of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was confirmed in April 2014 when a photographer from The National captured images of filming in the Abu Dhabi desert.
esamoglou@thenational.ae
The five pillars of Islam
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Quick facts
- Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) offers free guided tours of art in the metro and at the stations
- The tours are free of charge; all you need is a valid SL ticket, for which a single journey (valid for 75 minutes) costs 39 Swedish krone ($3.75)
- Travel cards for unlimited journeys are priced at 165 Swedish krone for 24 hours
- Avoid rush hour – between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm – to explore the artwork at leisure